Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 201: Former Mercenary
Tauro, Aeris, and Ragune sat across from the applicant in a corner of the Resting Pavilion’s dining room.
Ankh had shaggy red hair and wore well-used black iron armor from head to toe. A greatsword rested across his back, and a scar ran across one temple.
The age and wear of his equipment suggested that he had spent years on battlefields before becoming an adventurer.
His rapid rise to E-minus rank appeared to have been earned through genuine ability.
“Ankh, why did you choose a young team like ours?” Tauro asked. “Most people seem to avoid us at first glance.”
“You were the first team I noticed that was recruiting a vanguard,” Ankh replied. Then he looked toward Ragune. “Though I have to admit, this is surprising.”
“What is?”
“That woman is from a rare people. I won’t announce it to the room, but it’s been a long time since I met one of your kind.”
Ragune narrowed her eyes.
“How did you recognize my race?”
Her visual-obstruction magic concealed her scales, making her identity impossible for an ordinary observer to determine.
“I have unusually good eyes,” Ankh said. “Simple visual interference doesn’t work well on me. I also possess a low-grade [Personal Appraisal]. But the other young lady’s obstruction is extraordinary. I can’t even read her name.”
He pointed toward Aeris and gave an exaggerated shrug.
Ankh apparently possessed both an appraisal ability and some form of sight capable of penetrating concealment. His skills seemed promising.
“I’m the leader,” Tauro said. “That means you’d be taking orders from a child. Is that acceptable?”
“Mercenaries don’t care whether someone is a child or an adult once a battle begins. The people who survive are the ones worth listening to. You may be young, but you’ve clearly been an adventurer far longer than I have. I registered only a month ago. Learning from veterans is one of the best ways to stay alive.”
Ankh genuinely didn’t appear troubled by Tauro’s age.
“Then would you accompany us on an E-rank request? We’d like to see how you fight.”
“Straight to the practical test? Fine by me. Though if a twenty-six-year-old joins your team, I’ll raise the average age considerably.”
His confidence made it clear that he expected to pass.
“Despite your appearance – forgive me, I don’t mean that as an insult – you seem less constrained by prejudice than I expected,” Tauro said. “You’ve also answered honestly and revealed several of your abilities without being pressed. I should respond to that openness sincerely.”
Tauro held his gaze.
“You’re a frightening boy,” Ankh muttered.
For the practical assessment, Tauro selected the team’s usual combination of medicinal-herb gathering and goblin subjugation.
“The goblins make sense,” Ankh said. “The herb gathering wasn’t what I expected.”
“This is normal work for our team. Let us begin.”
Aeris and Ragune quickly located and gathered the required herbs. Tauro briefly disappeared into the forest and returned with a valuable medicinal plant that was normally difficult to find.
Seeing the others work, Ankh hurried to begin gathering as well.
To Tauro’s surprise, he knew how to identify and harvest medicinal herbs correctly. He might have learned while completing requests in the Royal Capital, or the knowledge might have come from his years as a mercenary.
“When did you become a mercenary?” Tauro asked while pointing out another herb patch to Aeris.
“When I was about ten. I first stood beside my employer holding a spear, killed a person in battle, and remained in the mercenary trade from then on.”
At twenty-six, Ankh possessed more than fifteen years of battlefield experience. He was a genuinely seasoned warrior.
“Why become an adventurer now?”
“The answer is simple. I became tired of killing people. Unfortunately, I spent so long on battlefields that I can’t do much else. Adventuring seemed close enough to the work I already understood.”
His answer was direct and appeared sincere.
Something about his story still caught Tauro’s attention, but it didn’t feel malicious. Ankh didn’t seem like the sort of man who relied on elaborate deception.
“We’ve gathered enough,” Tauro said. “A group of goblins is nearby. It’s time for the subjugation.”
He located the monsters with [Presence Detection] and confirmed their silhouettes with [True Eye].
“Good,” Ankh said, lightly tapping the hilt of his greatsword. “Now I can show you what I actually do well.”